Swaging tool



Feb. 26, 1963 H- BRONSTEIN SWAGING TOOL Filed May 20, 1959 INVENTOR.

HARRY BRONSTEIN Y Mam ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiiice 3,078,744 Patented Feb. 26, 1963- 3,073,744 SWAGING T0331. Harry Bronstein, 1967 71st Ave, Philadeiphla, Pa. Filed May 20, 1959, Ser. No. 814,436 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-11) The present invention relates to a swaging tool, and more particularly to a swaging tool for attaching a terminal to the end of a cable or the like.

To attach wire cables, such as used on marine craft or aircraft, to each other or to other devices, a terminal is secured to the end of the cable. Such terminals comprise a tubular metal sleeve having an eyelet, hook, or other connecting device at one end thereof. The end of the cable is inserted in the sleeve of the terminal, and the sleeve is sWa-ged around the cable to secure the terminal to the cable. The tools heretofore used for swaging the terminal to the cable are large and cumbersome. Thus, such tools are expensive and difficult to use. Furthermore, such tools require a separate size swaging die set for each size of the terminal to be swaged.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel swaging tool.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel swaging tool for swaging a terminal onto the end of a wire cable or the like.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a swaging tool which can be used for swaging various size terminals using a single set of dies.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a swaging tool which is relatively small in size and easy to use.

Other objects will hereinafter appear.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention there is shown in the drawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood, however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view, partly sectioned, of the swaging tool of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the swagin-g tool of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional View, partly in elevation, of the ratchet mechanism of the swaging tool of the present invention.

Referring initially to FIGURES 2 and 3, the swaging tool of the present invention is generally designated as 11}.

Swaging tool it comprises a substantially U-shaped body 12 having a base 14 and a pair of substantially parallel arms 16 and 18. Arm 16 has a cylindrical boss 20 projecting from its outer surface, and a recess 22 in its inner surface. Boss 20 has a threaded blind bore 24 in its outer end surface. A rod 26 has a threaded end 28 which is threaded into the bore 24 in the boss 20. Rod 26 has a handle 30 at its outer end, which handie 30 is perpendicular to the threaded end 28.

A pair of identical rollers 32 are mounted in sideby-side parallel relationship in the recess 22 in the arm 16 of body 12. The rollers 32 extend longitudinally between the side Walls 34 of the recess 22, and are rotatably supported on separate pins 36. The ends of each of the pins 36 extend through the side walls 34 of the recess 22, and are secured to the side walls 34 by a force fit. Each of the rollers 32 has a cylindrical swaging surface 3% adjacent one end thereof. The surfaces 44} and 42- of each of the rollers 32, which are on opposite sides of the swaging surface 38, are tapered inwardly away from the swaging surface 38. The rollers 32 are positioned so that the swaging surfaces 38 of the rollers 32 are spaced slightly apart.

A die support 44 extends from the base 14 of the body 12 between the arms 16 and 18 of the body 12. Die support 44 has a pair of spaced arms 46 which embrace the base 14 therebetween. The die support 44 is pivotally supported on the body 12 by a pin 48 which extends through the arms 46 of the die support 44 and the base 14 of the body 12. The surface of the die support 44 which faces the arm 16 of body 12 has a recess 50 therein.

A generally cylindrical die 52 is mounted in the recess 5t} in the die support 44, and extends longitudinally between the side walls 54 of the recess 50. Die 52 is rotatably mounted on a pin 56. The ends of pin 56 extend through the side walls 54 of recess 51), and are secured to the side walls 54 by a press fit. Die 52 is positioned with its longitudinal axis substantially midway between the longitudinal axes of the rollers 32. Die 52 has a cylindrical swaging surface 58 adjacent one end thereof. The swaging surface 58 of die 52 is of the same width as the swaging surfaces 38 of rollers 32 but is smaller in diameter. The surfaces 60 and 62 of the die 52, which are on opposite sides of the die swaging surface 53, are tapered radially inwardly away from the die swaging surface 58. Die 52 is divided transversely across the tapered surface into sections 52d and 52b. The juxtaposed end surfaces of the die sections 32a and 52b are provided with matching ball races (not shown). races in the end surfaces of the die sections 52a and 52b so that the die sections 52a and 52b are rotatable with respect to each other. swaging tool is moved progressively upward on the terminal during the swaging operation. of the terminal offers a resistance to this upward movement of the tool and forces the die toward the side wall of the die support 44. If the die contacts the side wall, there is presented undesirable pressure and friction. To overcome this pressure and friction, the die 52 is divided as mentioned above.

Arm 18 of body 12 has a fiat outer surface 66, and a threaded hole 6-8 extending through the arm 18 from the flat outer surface 66. A rod 70 has a threaded end portion 72 which is threaded through the hole 68 in arm 18, and engages the die support 44. Rod 70 is in alignment with the rod 26, and both of the rods 26 and 70 are in alignment with the roller swaging surfaces 38 and die swaging surface 58. Rod 7a) has a flat surface 74 extending longitudinally along the rod 70 from the threaded end portion '72 of the rod 70. Rod 70 alsohas an integral handle 76 at its outer end which is perthrough the stop collar '78, and are adapted to engage the flat surface 74 of rod 70. Stop collar 78 has a central,

annular projection 82 extending longitudinally from its end toward the fiat surface 66 of arm 18. Surrounding the projection 82, stop collar '78 has a plurality of cir-. cumferentially spaced ratchet teeth 83 which projectfrom the end of the stop collar 78 toward the fiat surface 66 of arm 18. I

Arm 13 has a blind hole 84 therein extending from the flat outer surface 66 of the arm 18. An annular plug 86 is threaded in the open end of the blind hole 84. A plunger 88 is within the blind hole 84 and pro-- jects through the plug 86 toward the ratchet teeth 82 on the stop collar 73. Plunger 88 has a flange 90 Balls 64 are seated in the matching ball I It will be noted that the The material r 3 thereon ,within, the holez84., A helical spring 92 surrounds the plunger 88 within the, hole 84, and is com pressed between the flange 90 and the bottom of the hole 84. Spring 92 urges the outer end of the plunger 88 towardltheratchet teeth 82cm thestop collar 78. The swagingtool of the present invention isused .to swage. a. terminal ,pnto; the end of a wire cable or the like in the following manner: H p 1 i The swaging tool' 10;is firs t--preset to thedepthof the indentation to beswagedin'the terminal. This is accomplished by placing a cylindrical gaugebetween the rollers 32and the die 52. The gauge is seated on the two-rollers 3 2..with the gauge extending longitudinally along the rollers32. A gauge is used which is ofa diameterslight- Iy smaller than the internal diameter of the indentation to, be, swaged into the terminal. The necessity for.having "the gauge smaller than the diameter of the indentation tobeswaged is due tothe elasticity-of the metal in the terminal and in the swaging tool. The material in the terminal is compressed during the swaging operation and bounces back to a small degreeaftenthe die is removed orinovedupwardly. In addition, there is some elasticity'in the die support which mustbe tolerated. 'Iihe .ela'sticityjn'the die support can be eliminatedby makingfthe support of stronger and heavier metal, how,- ever this is'undesirable' 'sinceit renders the swaging tool too bulky and heavy. Thesetscrews 80; of stop collar 78 are unthr'eadedsuflicientlyto, permit the stopcollar 78. to'bind 'slightlyfon the arm 70and .abut the surface 66; With; the gauge seated on therollers 32, rod 70 is threaded inwardly by rotating handle 76 to pivot the ai gsu purt 44 toward ther'ollers '32. Rod .70 is threade'dihWardly until the 'swagf-ing fsurfaee58 of die 52 just engages the isurface'b'f the gauge, l Inthis positionof the swagingto'ol 10,,tl1'e gauge ;is lightly clamped between the swaging surfaces 38 of rollers, 32 and the swaging surface 58 of die 52., When the stop Qol1ar'78 solidly enga es th'ejflat surface 66 of arm 18, the set'screws -80 are: threaded in forcibly to engage the fla't 'surfac e 74 otrcd' 70 to secure, the stop 'colla'r 78 to the rod 70. Rod 70 is then"threaded outwardly ,awa'yrmm the die support 144, and thegau'geremoved from theswaging tool 10. The swaging tool 10 is now preset and 'ready for the "swaging operation. I "For the swaging operation, the end of the cable is inserted intolheterm'inal; and th'eba'se end of the terrninal-is-'clamped' in a vise or similar holding'r'neans. Theswaging tool 10 is placed around the terminal with the tierminaipositioned' between the rollers 32 and die 52 and extending longitdinally along the rollers 32. The swagin fool 10 is, positioned at'the terminal 'e'ndwith theswagingfsurfaces 58, and 38 of the die 52 and rollers SZ-being, adjacent one ended the terminal.

Rb'd '70 is then threaded inwardly by rotating handle 76"t o move-die-SZ against the terminal until the terminal i's-- lightly gripped between theswaging surfaces 38 of the rollers 32 andthe swaging surface 58 of die 52. At this-position of the rod 70, the outer end of the plunger 88 will be in engagement with the ratchet teeth 83 on the stop collar 78.

"Grasping handle -30 inone hand and handle 76in the other-hand, handle 76- isrotated to thread rod 70 inward- 1y further untilplunger 88 has clicked overvone or two of the ratchet teeth 83 while reverse pressure is exerted on handle 30 to prevent terminal distortion. If reverse pressure were not exerted on handle 30, the pressure of the-die swaging surface 58 against the surface of the terminal would have-the effect offending to bend the terminaland notswage the surface thereof. Thus, rotation movement of handle76 inwardly forces the swaging surface 58 of die 52 to penetrate into the surface of the terminal but not the roller swaging surfaces 38 to any substantial extent because of their greater surface area. The thread on the end portion 72 of rod 70 is of a pitch that each click of the plunger 88 over a ratchet tooth 83 indicates that the swaging surface 58 of die 52 has penetrated approximately-0.002- inchinto the surface of the terminal. After rotating the handle 76 for one or two clicks of the plunger 88 across the ratchet teeth 83 to force the swaging surface, 58 of die 52 into the surface of the terminal, the entire swaging tool 10 is rotated 360 completely around the terminal This forms an annularindentation: in the outer surface of the terminal and compresses the terminal. Upon rotation, between, the terminal and ,thecable.

a wi s ble.

tion of the swaging tool 10 around the terminal, the tapered-surfaces 42 and 62 of the rollers 32 and die 52provide asmoothly curvedside. i After the swaging tool 10zhas been rotated completely around the terminal to initially form the swaged indentation in the terminal, the handle 76 of rod 70 is again rotated until the plunger 88'cl-icks across one or two more of the ratchetteeth 83. This forces the swaging surface 58 of the die .52 further into the surface of the terminal to deepen the swaged indentation. The entire swaging. tool 10 isagain rotated completely around the terminal, to deepen the entire indentation, and.furthcr compress the terminal. This step-by-step process of deepening the penetration ofqthe swaging surfaceSB of die 52,,into ,theterminal, androtating the swaging tool .10 around the terminal is continued, until the projection 82 on the stop collar 78 engages the flat surface 66.lof thc arrnlS,of.t )qd-y ,-12. The swaged indentation isthen of the pre-set depth to obtain the necessary gripping ac- The rdd,-70 is then threaded outwardly awayfrom the diesupport 44 to release the swaging tool 10 from the terminal. The,;swaging tool 10 is thcn moved,along the terminal a. distance of approximately one-eighth inch from. the swaged indentatiom and a second indentationis, swaged in the;terr n inal by the step-bystep process previouslygde scribed. I In thesajmemanner, thederminal is swagedto the cable at one-eighth inch intervals along thedesircd length of the terminal to completely clamp the terminal Thus, there isproyidedaswaging tool having a single set of dies which can-accommodate various sizes otter.- minals.- Anywearof th edies or pins is automatically compensated for since the swaging tool 10 is pre-set for each swaging operation. The swaging .tool 10 iS relatively small in size and lighttin weight so that theswagingtool 10 iseasy to handle and relatively inexpensive in cost. In the operation of the swaging tool .10, the proper amount of rotation of the rod 75! can be easily determined by feeling or hearing the clickin g of the plunger 88 .over the ratchet teeth 83. U However, if desired, the ratchet teeth 83 may be numberedgandan arrow provided on the arm 18 of the body 12 which points to the ratchet teeth 83., Bysuch means, a ,visual indication of the degree of rotation of thestop collar 'ifi with regard to the arm 18 can be obtained.

The present invention majy be embodicdin 7 other specific forms without departing from the spirit or. essential attributes. thereof and, accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims,; rather than to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of the invention.

Iclaimz, I, 1 A swaging tool comprising a substantially t l-shaped body member having a base and a pair of arms, a pair of cylindrical rollers rotatably mounted onthe inner surface of one arm of said body member, said rollers being in side-by-side, parallel relation, each of said rollers having a cylindrical swaging surface with said, swa'ging surface being in alignment, a die, support extending from the base of said body member between the arms of said body. member, said die support being pivotally, mounted on the base of saidbody member for movement toward and away from said rollers, a cylindricaldie rotatably mounted on the side of said die support facing said rollers, said die being substantially parallel to but spaced from said rollers with the longitudinal axis of said die being in a plane extending between said rollers, a cylindrical swaging surface on said die extending across the swaging surfaces of said rollers, and a rod threaded through the other arm of said body member adapted to engage said die support to move said die support toward said rollers, a stop collar surrounding the rod adjacent the outer surface of the other arm of said body member, said stop collar being slide is along said rod, a setscrew threaded through said stop collar to engage said rod and secure sa-id stop collar to said rod at a desired position along said rod, said stop collar having an annular projection extending longitudinally from its end surface facing said other arm of said body member, and ratchet means between said other arm of said body member and stop collar to indicate the degree of rotation of said rod with respect to said body member.

2. A swaging tool in accordance with claim 1 in which said ratchet means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth on the end surface of said stop collar which faces the other arm of said body member, a plunger carried by said other arm of said body mem ber, said plunger projecting beyond the outer surface of said other arm of said body member toward said stop collar and adapted to engage the teeth on said stop collar, and spring means urging said plunger toward said teeth on said stop collar.

3. A swaging tool comprising a substantially U-shaped body member having a base and a pair of arms, a rod secured to the outer surface of one of the arms or said body member, a recess in the inner surface of said one arm or said body member, a pair of cylindrical rollers in said recess in side-by-side, parallel relation, each of said rollers being rotatably supported on a separate pin which extends between and is secured to the sides of said recess, each of said rollers having a cylindrical swaging surface with said swaging surfaces being in alignment, a die support extending from the base of said body member between the arms of said body member, said die support being pivotally mounted along the base of said body member for movement toward and away from said rollers, a recess in the side of said die support facing said rollers, a cylindrical die in the recess in said die support, said die being substantially parallel to but spaced from said rollers with the longitudinal axis of said die being in a plane extending between said rollers, said die being rotatably supported on a pin which extends between and is secured to the sides of the recess in said die support, a cylindrical swaging surface on said die and extending across the swaging surfaces of said rollers, a rod threaded through the other arm of said body member and adapted to engage said die support to move said die support toward said rollers, a separate handle on each of said rods, a stop collar slidably surrounding the rod which is threaded through the other arm of said body member, said stop collar being adjacent the outer surface of said other arm of said body mem er, a setscrew threaded through said stop collar to en gage said rod and secure said stop collar to said rod at a desired position on said rod, said stop collar having an annular projection extending longitudinally from its end surface facing said other arm of said body member, and ratchet means between said other arm of said body member and the stop collar to indicate the degree of rotation of said rod with respect to said body member.

4. A swaging tool in accordance with claim 3 in which said ratchet means comprises a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth on the end surface of said stop collar which faces the other arm of said body member, a plunger carrier by the other arm of said body member, said plunger projecting beyond the outer surface of the other arm of said body member toward said stop collar and adapted to engage the teeth on said stop collar, and spring means urging said plunger toward said teeth on said stop collar.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 284,904 Rose Sept. 11, 1883 666,950 Wirl Jan. 29, 1901 909,182 Hart Fan. 12, 1909 1,675,182 Lilleberg June 26, 1928 1,993,427 Widuch Mar. 5, 1935 2,829,372 Hofrnann Feb. 4, 1936 2,192,914 Ice Mar. 12, 1940 2,379,177 iPavey June 26, 1945 2,841,861 Williams a July 8, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,181,976 France Ian. 12, 1959 

1. A SWAGING TOOL COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPED BODY MEMBER HAVING A BASE AND A PAIR OF ARMS, A PAIR OF CYLINDRICAL ROLLERS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF ONE ARM OF SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID ROLLERS BEING IN SIDE-BY-SIDE, PARALLEL RELATION, EACH OF SAID ROLLERS HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SWAGING SURFACE WITH SAID SWAGING SURFACE BEING IN ALIGNMENT, A DIE SUPPORT EXTENDING FROM THE BASE OF SAID BODY MEMBER BETWEEN THE ARMS OF SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID DIE SUPPORT BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON THE BASE OF SAID BODY MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID ROLLERS, A CYLINDRICAL DIE ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE SIDE OF SAID DIE SUPPORT FACING SAID ROLLERS, SAID DIE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO BUT SPACED FROM SAID ROLLERS WITH THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID DIE BEING IN A PLANE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ROLLERS, A CYLINDRICAL SWAGING SURFACE ON SAID DIE EXTENDING ACROSS THE SWAGING SURFACES OF SAID ROLLERS, AND A ROD THREADED THROUGH THE OTHER ARM OF SAID BODY MEMBER ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID DIE SUPPORT TO MOVE SAID DIE SUPPORT TOWARD SAID ROLLERS, A STOP COLLAR SURROUNDING THE ROD ADJACENT THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE OTHER ARM OF SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID STOP COLLAR BEING SLIDABLE ALONG SAID ROD, A SETSCREW THREADED THROUGH SAID STOP COLLAR TO ENGAGE SAID ROD AND SECURE SAID STOP COLLAR TO SAID ROD AT A DESIRED POSITION ALONG SAID ROD, SAID STOP COLLAR HAVING AN ANNULAR PROJECTION EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY FROM ITS END SURFACE FACING SAID OTHER ARM OF SAID BODY MEMBER, AND RATCHET MEANS BETWEEN SAID OTHER ARM OF SAID BODY MEMBER AND STOP COLLAR TO INDICATE THE DEGREE OF ROTATION OF SAID ROD WITH RESPECT TO SAID BODY MEMBER. 